Malcolm X had it right about Black women
Commentary by Black Kos Editor Denise Oliver-Velez
Looking at the viral video of a Black pregnant woman screaming in pain (posted below) I heard these immortal words from Malcolm X in my head:
“The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman.”
—Malcolm X, 1962
Academically there is already ample research to look at re racism and its role in Black women’s maternal health, though we need more — which may not happen now that the Orange Dicktator is cancelling research funding.
Structural racism and adverse maternal health outcomes: A systematic review
Structural racism, a legacy of settler colonialism and African slavery in the Americas, is recognized as a fundamental driver of racial/ethnic health inequities (Williams et al., 2019; Gee and Ford, 2011; Cogburn, 2019; Phelan and Link, 2015). It is defined as the totality of ways by which intrinsically linked and mutually reinforcing cultural domains and social/political institutions work in concert to disenfranchise racially/ethnically marginalized populations (Bailey et al., 2017; Phelan and Link, 2015). These institutions, including but not limited to, the criminal legal system, housing, education, health care, and employment, together reinforce hierarchies, while perpetuating inequitable policies/practices and discriminatory social norms based on a socially ascribed identity used to subordinate members of specific racial/ethnic groups—“race.” (Williams et al., 2019; Gee and Ford, 2011; Roberts, 2011; Bonilla-silva, 1997) Structural racism transcends interpersonal prejudice/bias and internalized racism, other key dimensions of racism (Jones, 2000). It is an upstream determinant of such norms, whose roots are embedded within the very policies, laws, and institutions that constitute the social fabric of the U.S. and consequently the everyday contexts that surround individuals (Crenshaw et al., 1995; Bailey et al., 2021).
In addition to outright hate crimes and violence targeted towards racially/ethnically minoritized populations in the U.S., there have been/are multiple instances of historic and contemporary state-sponsored discriminatory laws/practices that continue to harm the health and well-being of racially/ethnically marginalized people. Through restrictive housing covenants and redlining practices, Black and other people of color were unfairly denied housing and loans, were prohibited from attaining wealth in the form of homeownership, and their neighborhoods were deemed unworthy of investment (Rothstein, 2017). Federal economic subsidies that excluded Black and other people of color, together with educational and occupational segregation, denied racially/ethnically marginalized individuals access to socio-economic mobility and hindered the beneficial health rewards that come from it (Johnson, 2019; O'Brien et al., 2020). Structural racism also patterns the types of hospitals where racially/ethnically marginalized individuals receive care. Despite the integration of hospitals in the wake of the civil rights movement, segregated medical care still persists—pushing Black and Brown individuals to seek treatment in lower-quality facilities and receive poor care due to provider bias (Ly et al., 2010; Smedley et al., 2003). School discipline policies that disproportionately target Black and Brown youth, not only interrupt educational trajectories and hence influence health, but also directly contribute to the large/growing prison population in the U.S., which incarcerates more people per capita than any other nation (Vable et al., 2020; Duarte et al., 2020; Skiba et al., 2002; Subramanian et al., 2015; Widra and Herring, 2021). Law-enforcement violence is yet another manifestation of structural racism that causes death and injury to thousands of individuals every year, with Black individuals bearing the greatest burden (Bor et al., 2018). Specific instances of police/state violence also lead entire Black communities to experience vicarious violence and trauma (Alang et al., 2017). Mass incarceration, aided by governmental campaigns, such as the war-on-drugs and harsh mandatory sentencing laws, is another important axis of structural racism that continues to institutionalize millions of Black and Brown Americans and tear-apart countless families, depleting community resources and dismantling social fabrics (Alexander, 2010). It is also critical to note the role that intersectionality plays in how structural racism shapes health inequities (Crenshaw, 1989). Structural racism interacts with and is fueled by other forms of marginalization, including sexism, classism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia etc, to create new forms of social adversities, which collectively are greater than the sum of each individual source of oppression (Crenshaw et al., 1995; Crenshaw, 1991; Lorde, 1984).
The compounding of these deeply intertwined policies, practices, and norms that exist within multiple societal/institutional domains, perpetuates racial/ethnic inequities in maternal health outcomes through multiple mechanisms (Williams and Mohammed, 2013). Figure 1 outlines the proposed pathways by which structural racism across the life-course influences uneven risk of maternal morbidity/mortality.
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Happy 2nd anniversary to the PA Black Maternal Health Caucus!
This caucus has been hard at work saving the lives of mothers and babies across the state. I’m so proud to be a part of the work and can’t wait to see the amazing things we’ll continue to do for the Black mamas and babies!
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— Rep. Joanna McClinton (@repmcclinton.com) October 30, 2025 at 5:34 PM
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We believe Mississippi mothers deserve support, justice, and a system that values their lives. Join the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus as we confront the maternal health crisis and advocate for real change.
Mississippi State Capitol
October 30, 2025 | 9:30 AM – 1...
#BlackMaternalHealth #MLBC
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— Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health (@iamhealth.bsky.social) October 21, 2025 at 11:25 AM
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Black women die in childbirth at 3 to 4 times the rate of white women. Congress must pass the #Momnibus—comprehensive legislation that will address this crisis! QUICK SIGNATURE: action.momsrising.org/sign/Momnibu... via @momsrising.org
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— L ⩜⃝ur ⩜⃝ ✨ R ⩜⃝mundo ♒️ (@lvr1258.bsky.social) November 16, 2025 at 7:53 AM
New CDC report shows racial disparity in maternal mortality
“Maternal mortality rates dropped for everyone except for Black women in the US”
Black maternal deaths rise in US
Ted Talks:
A Broken Healthcare System: Racism and Maternal Health | Dr. Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha | TEDxTufts
Why are Black mothers five times more likely to die during childbirth? | Sonah Paton | TEDxBristol
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Democratic-proposed bills in Congress aim to increase funding to study maternal health disparities, extend eligibility for the Women, Infants, and Children program, diversify the perinatal workforce and invest in prenatal care for incarcerated mothers buff.ly/b1tlROQ
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— Ohio Capital Journal (@ohiocapitaljournal.com) May 12, 2025 at 9:30 PM
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Meet Shariah, our Community Coordinator! She's a National Black Doulas Association-certified birth/postpartum doula & breastfeeding counselor. Shariah supports all birth types, offers newborn care & herbal therapy, & empowers families with holistic & emotional support through pregnancy & postpartum.
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— Black Midwifery Collective (@blackmidwifery.bsky.social) May 18, 2025 at 8:56 PM
“During Black Maternal Health Week, we celebrate the progress we have made and continue to address this issue with urgency. This year, as Black maternal health initiatives and women’s health research are under attack, our fight remains more important than ever.Together, we continue the fight to ensure every woman has access to the health care she needs.”
VP Harris has been one of the highest profile Black Women here to be an advocate>
The toxic brew of racism combined with sexism is still our lot in life (and death).
I have been blessed to have a midwife god-daughter, and to have taught a young woman, Carmen Mojica who now fights for and trains doulas.
Hope readers will follow activist accounts, and support our elected officials who are fighting to correct this centuries long injustice. I’m frankly sick and tired of the “bash Democrats” crew who don’t acknowledge what is happening. Please support the efforts of the Black Maternal Health Caucus
Purpose
The Black Maternal Health Caucus is organized around the goals of elevating America's maternal health crisis within Congress and advancing policy solutions to improve maternal health outcomes and end disparities.
History
In April 2019, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) and Congresswoman Alma Adams (NC-12) teamed up to launch the Black Maternal Health Caucus. Joined by then-Senator Kamala Harris, the Caucus was established to solve America’s maternal health crisis, eliminate disparities, and to advance policy solutions aimed at improving maternal health outcomes for all mothers. Initially formed with 53 founding members, the Caucus has grown into one of the largest bipartisan caucuses on Capitol Hill, highlighting the urgency of this crisis and widespread support for tackling maternal health disparities.
The Black Maternal Health Caucus has played a pivotal role in the development and introduction of the Momnibus Act, a comprehensive legislative package consisting of 13 bills designed to address every aspect of maternal mortality, morbidity, and disparities in the U.S. The Momnibus Act includes significant investments in expanding and diversifying the perinatal workforce, improving data collection, funding community-based organizations, and providing access to essential services such as housing, nutrition, and mental health support during and after pregnancy.
Since its inception, the Caucus has achieved substantial legislative successes, including the passage of the Protecting Moms Who Served Act, which President Biden signed into law in 2021, ensuring high-quality maternity care for veterans. The Caucus has also been instrumental in increasing funding for maternal health research and initiatives, such as the IMPROVE Initiative, and securing over $200 million in federal funding for Momnibus priorities as of 2024. Since 2019, the Caucus has prompted greater federal action and funding to combat severe maternal complications and improve care quality across various communities. Click HERE
for an overview of the Caucus’s first two years (2019-2020).
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News round up by dopper0189, Black Kos Managing Editor
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In the past year, nearly 75,000 people have signed up to run for local and state office through Run for Something. And its candidates are winning. Huffington Post: The Trump Backlash Quietly Underway
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The backlash to Donald Trump’s second term has been coming in big waves. Democrats’ sweep in last week’s elections. The 7 million people who turned out nationwide for last month’s “No Kings” protests.
But there’s been another, less obvious kind of blowback playing out all year, too: a massive surge in young progressives signing up to run for office.
In the year since Trump won reelection, nearly 75,000 people have signed up to run for local or state office through Run for Something, a grassroots political group that recruits young progressives in down-ballot races across all 50 states.
For context, about 67,000 people signed up with the group in Trump’s first term ― over the entirety of those four years.
There’s a different energy driving young people to consider bids for public office this year, says Amanda Litman, the organization’s co-founder and executive director.
“You’re hearing people pretty explicitly saying, ‘I’m not waiting my turn,’” she told HuffPost in a recent interview. “‘I didn’t want to run for office. But I feel like I have to.’”
Run For Something, which launched in 2017 in response to Trump’s first presidential win, recruits people who are under 40, who are generally left-of-center Democrats and who align with the group’s stated values. Those values include things like supporting abortion rights, LGBTQ+ equality, climate protections and ending gun violence. Beyond that, it’s up to each candidate to decide how to reflect those values in their campaigns.
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As the trailer drops for You, Me & Tuscany, could the upcoming romantic comedy, sans Black trauma, open doors for more Black rom-coms in 2026? Ebony: Can Will Packer Ignite a Wave of Black Rom-Coms?
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Insecure alum Yvonne Orji got us all thinking when she posted about wanting to star in a romantic comedy, and she’s not alone. Lupita Nyong’o, Survival of the Thickest’s Alecsys Proctor-Turner, Ayo Edibiri (who’s set to star in Apple TV+’s upcoming romantic comedy series, The Prodigies) and more have spoken about their desire to make their debut in this genre.
Why has it taken so long?
Sure, we’ve seen Black love on screen over the past few years, but too often it comes with a heavy side of trauma. Important stories, indeed, but where are the butterflies? The meet-cutes? The “girl, he flew across the world for you” declarations?
What we’re craving is a rom-com in its truest form: A chance encounter. Awkward secrets. A breakup we knew was coming. And a declaration of love so grand — maybe with a hot air balloon tossed in — it leaves us swooning.
Add in the staples: an exotic locale, a wardrobe no one can afford, a best friend or sibling dropping sage advice and that final kiss reminding us that every Black girl deserves a joy-filled, happy ending. That's the kind of Black love we're talking about.
Well, You, Me and Tuscany is ready to deliver.
The new film starring Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page dropped its trailer today. The plot? Spurred by her one romantic night with an Italian stallion, a young woman (Bailey) crashes his seemingly empty villa on Italy’s Amalfi Coast, where she gets mistaken for his fiancée. Then she meets his cousin (Page) and sparks fly. No drive-bys. No stripper poles. No n-word.. Just the simple pleasure of watching two beautiful Black people fall in love in a place with incredible ocean views.
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Many in Petit-Goâve were asleep when La Digue river began to rise after midnight.
By the time residents in the southern coastal town realized what was happening, it was too late. The river had burst its banks and swept away children, cars and homes as the outer bands of Hurricane Melissa lashed southern Haiti in late October.
One man escaped through a window while a woman grabbed onto a car and held her son tight to avoid being dragged by floodwaters that severely broke her leg.
They survived, but the Category 5 hurricane, one of the strongest Atlantic storms in recorded history, killed at least 43 people in Haiti. More than a dozen others remain missing.
Most of the deaths occurred in Petit-Goâve, where the community mourned their own on Saturday.
“Where is my strength?!” cried out Fanile Estinval as she opened her arms, dressed in all white to honor her two sons who died in the storm.
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Voices & Soul
"How does the Superdome sound?" the Certain Member of the Assembly asked.
"Super!" I responded. — Justice Putnam “For The General Good”
by Black Kos Editor, Justice Putnam
(Under every stone lurks a politician.
- Aristophanes)
“For The General Good”
by Justice Putnam
I thought the State had no need for my services any longer. But a Certain Member of the Assembly visited a few days ago with a message from the Forum Of One Leader.
“The FOOL requires your expert loyalty,” the Certain Member of the Assembly pleaded, using the jargon peculiar to all bureaucrats through all of history, “without your special talent, the People will remain unconvinced and the Assembly will not act. Only you can report the Good News of all that has been done for the General Good!”
An Appropriations Bill was stalled because the People were only hearing negative reporting from the Just Deserts region. It was on all the news. The Forum Of One Leader had decided to silence his critics once and for all, so he recalled my commission and brought me Back On Board.
A good decision, I might add, because that not only makes me one of the BOB’s, I am also a Bovino. What's a Bovino, you might ask. Well, a Bovino in Italian denotes a bull full of crap. It's a sort of an inside joke. You see, I was once the head of the Federal Emergency Manipulation Agency. Our task at FEMA was to communicate how to make lemonade. Life and Government throw many things our way. So it is important that the People can find the pony, that they know at least it’s a dry heat and if bridges are to be mended, what better time than during a flood?
"It’s not necessary to fly to the Just Deserts region," I said to the Certain Member of the Assembly, "I only need to address all 135,000 of the Bovinos."
"How does the Superdome sound?" the Certain Member of the Assembly asked.
"Super!" I responded.
The next day I’m at the 50-yard line of the Superdome surrounded by a sea of brown, not a brown like the muddy Mississippi. No, this was a crisp, ironed and buttoned-down sea of brown. Everyone wore brown shoes, everyone wore brown slacks, (brown skirts for the girls and women, of course!) and most important, everyone wore a brown shirt.
Anyone could wear brown shoes, or brown slacks, but only a Bovino is allowed to wear a brown shirt. A Bovino takes a kind of blood oath. In the beginning, the FOOL’s loyalists were known in secret circles as brown-noses for what critics said was the obvious ass-kissing that allowed the FOOL to govern as he did. But the Federal Emergency Manipulation Agency went into action and issued brown shirts to the loyalists in response. A Press Briefing was organized and the first ritual ass kissing was broadcast. About 70 loyalists, on bended knee, kissed the ass of the FOOL and then donned their brown shirt.
Now a Bovino gets his or her brown shirt, a $50K signing bonus and a criminal pardon when they kiss the ass of a life-sized statue of the FOOL. It’s a lot easier on the Forum Of One Leader, as you can imagine!
"When I was called by the Forum Of One Leader to bring back the Good News of all that has been done for the General Good," I began my speech, "I thought of the hurricane that almost brought down this reverent stadium. Harsh winds tore at her roof. The floodwaters rose and threatened to inundate her. The Little People who used to live in the Old City flocked to her arms for succor in their time of need, and succor them she did!"
135,000 right hands rose in unison as if at a great evangelical church service and shouted in one giant voice,
"Amen!"
"And I thought of our brave troops" I continued, "who have sacrificed so much and for so long because of our freedoms! Not only abroad, but suffering right here in our own communities, paving the Great White Way of our Liberties from sea to shimmering sea! Purging our streets of dirty woke food vendors and anchor baby maids. Think of the toil of those brave military men and women who are your brothers and sisters, your husbands and wives, your aunts and uncles, your mothers and fathers, and yes! Your grandparents, too!"
The Bovinos couldn’t restrain themselves. Pandemonium broke out as they bounced straight up and down like on pogo sticks, their right arms thrust upwards with shouts of "Amen!" echoing throughout the Stadium. I let them have their riot of ecstasy. After several moments, I put a finger to my lips to hush them.
"So when our critics accuse us of self-serving political treachery," I said, barely above a whisper, "when our critics accuse us of self-centered political gain," I raised my voice, "when our critics accuse us of inaction, ineptitude and incompetence," I was now full throated, "I want each and every one of you to find those critics," I was yelling, "you find them in their libraries, you find them in their secular schools, you find them on their social media and you ram your finger in their bony chests and tell them, all that we do is for the General Good!"
"Amen! Amen!" echoed throughout the giant structure.
"And it’s all true," I was patting my brow like a great evangelist, "it’s all true! Because all that we do, all that we are, is for the General Good! Because at midnight tonight, the Forum Of One Leader will don his ceremonial fighter jet jacket, he will grasp his great ceremonial saber and forever be known by his new title, THE GENERAL GOOD!" I shouted.
135,000 Bovinos took to the streets on that clear as crystal night shouting, "For The General Good! For The General Good!"
I know a few windows were broken and a few fires were set. I know I got them hot under the collar. But at least, it’s a dry heat!
© 2025 by Justice Putnam
and Mechanisches-Strophe Verlagswesen
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